Berhampur: Miscreants allegedly looted valuables from the 300-year-old Nilakantheswar Temple in Nirmalajhara, Khallikote, in Ganjam district on Thursday night, three days after robbers looted silver jewellery worth Rs 10 lakh from the Tara Tarini Temple near Purushottampur.
The miscreants decamped with a brass bell, pot, several utensils, a golden patri and some money by breaking open the donation box. "Though the exact amount of the looted items is yet to be ascertained, it might be over Rs 1 lakh," said a resident.
Thieves might have entered the temple by jumping over the compound wall and breaking the lock of the temple door, police said.
Priests discovered the theft early on Friday and informed the police. "We have started an investigation," said Naresh Chandra Sahoo, inspector in-charge, Khallikote police station.
As there was no CCTV installed in the temple, police might face difficulty in identifying the accused. Cops are trying to find out if the same gang who looted the Tara Tarini Temple three days ago was involved in the theft at the Nirmalajhara shrine.
A special police team, led by sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Purushottampur, is investigating the theft at Tara Tarini temple. Roopa Roshan Sahoo, revenue divisional commissioner (RDC), south, has sought a status report from the district administration regarding the theft of the valuables from the Tara Tarini temple.
A ‘mahasnan' of the twin goddesses and several rituals were performed at the shrine on Friday. "It's a tradition to perform ‘mahasnan' after an unknown person enters the temple," said Babuji Rana, a sevrvitor.